


Just pretend to be my date

by ShyVioletCat



Series: Nessian Drabbles [6]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: written pre-acowar release
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-09 21:02:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20516378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyVioletCat/pseuds/ShyVioletCat
Summary: Cassian gets desperate





	Just pretend to be my date

Cassian sat a table in the massive courtyard that Rhys and Feyre had sequestered for their wedding celebration. They had done it as the official celebration for the end of the war and they had truly asked all of Velaris to join them. It was decorated beautifully and the lights were bright and colourful. Rhys and Feyre danced in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by other couples and groups dancing as well. He had never seen his brother so happy, Rhys hadn’t stopped smiling since he had started getting ready this morning. Feyre looked radiant, in fact she was radiant. He could see that she was glowing unable to contain it in her joy. The black glittering dress she wore caught the light and shone brighter. What made it do so, Cassian couldn’t describe it. Female clothing had always been a bit above and beyond his comprehension. It was black and glittered. That description would do him.

Cassian spied Mor and Azriel dancing together. That was another male he had never seen look happier. The two of them were smiling and laughing and were dancing flawlessly together. Az’s shadows were no where to be seen and when Azriel caught his eye Cassian raised his glass to him. Azriel just smiled wider and turned his full attention to the exuberant female in his arms. Cassian wasn’t sure why he wasn’t with them. Dancing with them, embracing the night.

Actually, Cassian knew he was a liar. He knew exactly why he was with them.

It had to do with the female who was leaning against a pillar not too far away from him, trying to hide in one of the very few shadows that were available. She looked beautiful there, dressed in a purple gown, a small sad smile on her face. Her eyes were trained on her sisters, both of them dancing with their mates. Downing the rest of his drink in one gulp Cassian got up and started to make his way over to Nesta.

He reached her. And that’s when he realised that he had nothing prepared to say. Nesta noticed him, gave him a look then turned back to her sisters. There was a moment of silence, then Cassian said the first thing that came to his mind.

“Hiding in the shadows?” Cassian asked. His only reply was a shrug of Nesta’s shoulders. Cassian looked out to the dancing crowd, he saw Lucien and Elain dancing. She was laughing at Lucien’s missteps, such a clear and lovely sound. “They look happy.”

“Yes they do,” Nesta replied quietly, her voice almost breaking.

“Nesta…” Cassian started but at the moment he heard some call his name shrilly through the crowd. Cassian felt his body stiffen. No, not now. He turned slightly, just to be entirely certain, and out of the corner of his eyes he saw her. Panicking he turned to Nesta.

“Pretend to be my date,” Cassian blurted out.

“What?” Nesta said cooly as she pushed off the pillar.

“Just,” Cassian could hear the female getting closer, “pretend to be my date.”

Nesta must of seen his panic and desperation on his face because she nodded and moved closer to him. Just in time as the female appeared next to him and she lightly put a hand on arm.

“Cassian,” she said with a simpering smile, but the she saw Nesta at muttered a soft ‘oh’ as her hand fell away.

Cassian shifted his gaze to Nesta. She was glaring at the female, and she moved closer to Cassian so she was practically nestled into his side. Instinctively Cassian’s arm wrapped around her waist.

“Cassian who is this?” Nesta asked sweetly. Cassian gaped a little. The ability the Archeron sisters had to so easily fall into required roles terrified him. Each of them did it flawlessly. He would never tell them how much it scared him though.

“Nesta, this is a friend of mine, Janice. Janice, this is Nesta Archeron,” Cassian said indicting to them both in turn with his free hand. He saw Janice’s eyebrows raise a little, recognition showing in her features.

“Pleased to meet you,” Janice said.

“Likewise,” Nesta replied.

Cassian could tell neither female meant it.

“Sweetheart, dance with me?” Nesta asked. Cassian turned to look at Nesta. She looked at him pleadingly and he just nodded. Partly out of shock, partly because there was nothing else he would rather do in that moment. The sound of his nickname for her coming from her lips for him had sent a thrill through him and the world around them may very well not existed. At his affirmative answer Nesta led him out to the dance floor. Nesta placed her arms on Cassian’s shoulders, almost linking her hands behind his head.

“She’s still watching,” Nesta said through a charming smile.

Cassian couldn’t care less he was only focused on Nesta. The way her hair caught the light, the smooth curve of her jaw, how tonight her eyes were more grey than blue.

“Ok she’s gone,” at that Nesta’s arms dropped to a more casual position, but didn’t leave his shoulders. “Who was that? And why did it look like you’d been kicked in the balls when you saw her?”

Cassian let out a heavy sigh. “We used to have… relations. Everyone hated her, thought she was irritating and bad company. Everyone was right of course, but when I ended it she just kept hanging on. Sometimes when we see each other when we’re out, she tries to, well you know.”

“Does it ever work?” Nesta asked. When Cassian didn’t say anything Nesta just raised an eyebrow.

“Sometimes it used to, depending on how drunk I was.”

Nesta just tipped her head back and laughed.

Cassian poked her hard with one of his fingers, “That’s not very nice, Sweetheart.”

That seemed to sober Nesta up because she stopped laughing and she once again looked at her sisters. Cassian gave her waist a small squeeze and she looked back to him and he gave her a questioning look.

“They don’t need me anymore. Either of them,” Nesta said and Cassian swore he saw her eyes glisten with mushed tears.

Cassian pulled Nesta a little closer and she looked up at him. “They may not need you, but it doesn’t mean you’re unwanted.”

Nesta cocked her head to the side and gave Cassian an unreadable look.

“Cassian I…” Nesta swallowed before she continued, “Cassian, I don’t want to pretend.”

Before Cassian knew what was happening Nesta was kissing him, and he kissed her right back.


End file.
